AQA A-Level Drama: Reviewing the 2025 Exams

Course Code: T0358 £249.00

ABOUT THIS COURSE

This in-depth course is designed to review the 2025 AQA A-Level Drama exams, helping you understand key trends in student performance and identify areas for improvement. The course will focus on common mistakes in written responses, practical assessments, and the performance components. You will gain expert-led insights into examiner expectations and strategies to develop students’ ability to analyse drama texts, enhance practical performance skills, and improve their written responses for future assessments.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

  • Gain a clear understanding of the 2025 AQA A-Level Drama exams
  • Identify common pitfalls in the written exam and practical assessments
  • Develop strategies to improve analysis of texts, characterisation, and performance
  • Enhance student responses to questions on live theatre and practical work
  • Learn methods to strengthen students' understanding and application of dramatic theory

PROGRAMME

10.00am: Understanding the 2025 Exam Performance

  • Key insights from examiner reports – strengths and areas for development
  • Identifying trends in student performance across different components of the exam
  • Common errors in written analysis, characterisation, and practical assessments
  • Developing an action plan to refine teaching and improve student outcomes

10.45am: Break


11.00am: Excelling in the Written Exam (Paper 1 & 2)

  • How students’ written responses compared to examiner expectations
  • Structuring responses to meet AO1, AO2, and AO3 criteria
  • Improving analysis of texts, characters, and performance conventions
  • Enhancing students’ ability to integrate theory into their practical and written work 

11.45am: Tackling Practical Assessments and Performance Questions (Component 3)

  • Common challenges in practical assessments and how to address them
  • Supporting students in developing their physical and vocal skills for performance
  • Approaching practical exam questions with clarity and focus
  • Strategies for fostering collaborative and innovative performances

12.30pm: Lunch


1.30pm: Responding to Live Theatre (Component 1)

  • Key insights into how students performed in live theatre review questions
  • Teaching students to critically engage with and evaluate live performances
  • Improving students’ ability to apply theatrical conventions and techniques in their analyses
  • Developing strong and coherent written responses to live theatre questions

2.30pm: Break


2.40pm: Moving Forward – Preparing for Success in 2026

  • Key lessons from 2025 and how to incorporate them into your teaching
  • Preventing recurring mistakes through targeted intervention strategies
  • Creating a culture of continuous improvement in drama education
  • Practical action planning for the year ahead

3.30pm: Depart

A-Level - Code: T0358

AQA A-Level Drama: Reviewing the 2025 Exams

COURSE LEADER

Matthew Rowlands-Roberts was a professional actor for the Peter Hall Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, and Blackeyed Theatre Company prior to becoming a qualified drama teacher in both mainstream and independent schools.

He is an experienced Head of Drama  and was until very recently a Head of Drama at a leading independent school in central London. In the 2021 cohort Matthew attained 100% Level 9’s with his GCSE students and 100% A*-A grade with his A level students.

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Course Brochure